Filling the void
by dreamergal
Summary: After Mikan spent two happy years at the academy, an unforeseen event results in her expulsion.Three years later,she gets a chance to come back. And slowly,all the unsolved mysteries unravel themselves as Mikan tries to do her best as she always did...


**A/N**: Hey everyone. This is my third fan fic. This story had been bubbling in my head for ages now. So I had to just put it in writing. Please read and see if you like it….If you do, review and let me know about it… and I'll try to update fast.

**Disclaimer:** I do own Alice Academy or any of its characters.

**Chapter 1**

**Back to where I belong**

****

"Grandpa, I'm home" called out a cheerful young teen with beautiful waist-length hazelnut brown hair and a perfect slim figure.

"Welcome back. You're early today." said a kindly looking old man.

"Yeah." she replied, her brown eyes twinkling, "I didn't have extra chores at the café today. And Kaji said I had done enough for one day."

"That Kaji is a good lad… Are you sure you two are not 'going out'?" he inquired.

"Me and Kaji?? No way!! We're just good friends." she replied hastily and added, "Grandpa, you can't poke into a teenager's love life like this, you know?"

"But your holidays have started and yet, you chose to work at the café and help Kaji." he replied.

"That's because I have nothing better to do...and besides, poor Kaji would have to do so much work all by himself." she protested.

The old man chuckled softly and said, "Well, you're going to be sixteen years old tomorrow. It's about time you found yourself a nice guy who can take care of you. I'm not getting any younger, you know."

"Grandpa!" she exclaimed reproachfully. "Don't say such things."

He smiled softly and said, "You're a lot like your mother. You have the same cheerfulness... the same smile… even the same temper."

"Really?" asked Mikan, her eyes growing wide with curiosity.

"Definitely." he replied

"Earlier, with your little pig tails, you looked rather different. But now that you've started letting down your hair, you look so much like her." he added fondly.

Mikan smiled.

"Are you sure you don't have her photograph?" she asked, for the hundredth time.

"I'm sorry Mikan. But your mother took everything with her." he replied.

"This is so unfair!" she cried.

"Yes, it is." agreed her Grandpa "Now why don't you call that 'friend' Kaji of yours. He's sure to bring a smile back to your pretty little face."

"Oh Grandpa" she whispered affectionately, and gave him a big bear hug before going upstairs to her room.

To Mikan, her Grandpa meant everything. He was the only family she had left. He was the one who had given her everything she could ask for.

And yet, she had run away from home five years ago, to chase after her best friend Hotaru.

Hotaru…Just thinking about her, caused Mikan so much pain. She was the girl who had filled Mikan's life with so much happiness.

Mikan was able to experience the joys of having two loving parents by becoming Hotaru's friend. Mr. and Mrs. Imai showered Mikan with the love and affection that any girl her age required.

Even though Hotaru was cold at times, Mikan knew that her heart was filled the best of intentions.

Ever since kindergarten, they had always been together… that is, until three years ago. Mikan shuddered, just thinking about it. After two happy years in the Academy with Hotaru and a number of other great friends, she had to leave it all behind and come back home.

In a way, she was happy to be with her beloved Grandpa again but her heart yearned to go back to the Academy, a place she was starting to consider as her second home.

And no one could blame her for feeling so miserable. For, she had not had any contact with the Academy at all, for the past three years… three long lonely and cruel years.

Of course she had re-enrolled in her old school and made a bunch of new friends, especially Kaji. But still, there was always a flicker of sadness in her eyes, a flicker that just wouldn't go away.

And the reason why Kaji was so close to her was because he had seen and understood what she was feeling. He was the main reason why Mikan was ever able to smile again.

Mikan sighed as she took a nice long shower and plopped onto her bed. She called up Kaji but he didn't pick up. Maybe he was out.

Tomorrow she was going to be sixteen years old. She wondered what presents she would get and finally fell asleep.

The next morning, Mikan woke up to the sound of loud music coming from downstairs. She tiptoed downstairs to see what was up.

Suddenly, "SURPRISE!!" yelled out Mikan's grandpa, showering her with ribbons and glitters.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" he continued cheerily.

Mikan had more of a heart attack than an ordinary surprise and it took her a while to regain her composure.

Mikan looked around the room. It had been decorated grandly with ribbons and balloons. And there was a big banner which read 'Happy sweet 16'

"You're the best, Grandpa!" she squealed and gave him a big hug. He had definitely put in a lot of effort in making this day special for her.

"But what's with the loud music?" she asked, trying to block her ears from the awful sound coming from the stereo system.

She reached over and flicked it off.

"Well, I thought that these days, youngsters like you enjoy such sort of music." he replied innocently.

"No Grandpa, we youngsters like 'good' music, not 'loud' music. But I don't mind if my kind of song is played loudly. Anyway, coming to more important matters…" she said as she stretched out her hand "Where's my present?"

"You mean all this was not enough?" her grandpa asked, incredulously.

"Don't tell me I won't be getting a present this year, Grandpa." she replied in a menacing way.

"I…I am… I am sorry…" he started to mutter. Mikan took a threatening step forward.

The old man sighed and said softly, "I guess I have no choice." and reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather pouch.

He gently placed it in her hands and gave a weak smile.

Mikan curiously opened the little package and emptied the contents onto her palm. Out fell a simple yet beautiful gold necklace with a heart shaped pendant.

"It's gorgeous!" she exclaimed "I never knew you had such fine taste in jewellery, Grandpa."

"I don't." he replied "It belonged to your mother."

Mikan's eyes opened wide. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all these years of pestering her grandpa to tell her more about her parents, he was actually giving her something that belonged to her mother.

She gently turned the pendant around and she saw the name 'Azumi' engraved on it. Gently running her finger over the inscription, she said softly, "Thank you, grandpa. This is the best gift in the whole world."

"Azumi asked me to give it to you on your sixteenth birthday. She said that the pendant held some very important memories." said the old man.

"I'll treasure this forever." she replied, as she slid the necklace around her neck.

"Ok, now come and help me bake your birthday cake, Mikan." he said "You know I can't bake."

She smiled.

"Yeah, sure." she said. But her gaze fell on a piece of paper under the cabinet. "What's this?" she asked as she bent down and picked up the paper.

It was an envelope… an envelope addressed to her!

"Oh, I forgot about that letter." her grandpa replied, guiltily "I'm so sorry. It had arrived a few days ago."

"Its alright." she replied wondering who on earth would send her a letter. She hadn't received any letters from anyone for the past three years.

Mikan tore open the envelope, pulled out the letter and began to read.

Half way through the letter, her knees started trembling and her eyes welled up with tears.

"What's the matter?" the old man asked, concerned.

Mikan dropped on to her knees and slowly looked up at her Grandpa. And through the tears running down her cheeks, she smiled.

"It's a letter from the Academy… My... my suspension term has been revoked!" she choked.

"I... I can finally go back, back to where I belong."

The old man knelt beside her and embraced her affectionately, as she cried her heart out.

"I'm so happy." she mumbled between her sobs.

**A/N: **Ok, I know this chapter is small but this is basically an introduction. Wait till she goes back to the academy. I've got vacations now so I should be able to update all my stories fast.

Please do review.


End file.
